Rising to the Challenge
by EnglishPoet18
Summary: Merle/Carol MAROL Fic Merle and Carol are two unlikely souls to have a connection. Both of them are feeling unwanted and craving the touch of another. Will it be what they need? Just a oneshot that I did, nothing more.
1. Chapter 1

**So... decided to try my hand at a Marol fic. A few of you knew that I had this on the back burner and well, tonight it just all came spewing out. It's one of those things that I felt that I had to write, if for nothing more than to get it out of my head. I'm not saying I ship Marol, but I wanted to test myself and see if I could write these two together in a realistic fashion. I think I did okay, but I'm nervous as to how some of you may feel about it. Don't worry, there is no Deth on my horizon! It's strictly Caryl with a dose of Marol now. I might revisit these two later if the mood strikes me. I would love to know your thoughts. Thanks for giving it a shot!**

****Thanks for HaloHunter for giving me the go-to boost needed to get this one rolling. You are awesome! **

...

Merle reached up to wipe his arm across his forehead as he worked to untangle some debris from the fence that had blown over during a storm that had passed over the prison last night. It was hot as blazes outside and he had been going at it for quite a bit, enjoying the burn in his muscles as he did so. Nothing felt better than a good workout and since the days of gyms were long gone, this was about as close as he was going to get.

He was working by himself, something that he preferred to do because he generally just didn't like people. There were others working in other areas of the prison where part of their shelter out front had collapsed and various items had been blown around the yard. Merle had volunteered for this job because in between yanking shit from the fence, he could randomly shove his blade into the unsuspecting face of a walker that happened to amble up to the fence expecting a snack.

"Stupid fuckers," He muttered as he flicked the blood from his blade, watching as another one dropped to the ground on the other side of the fence.

His brother was out today, having decided that he was going to go hunt. Merle had started to offer to go with him, but Daryl had skipped out so quickly that he hadn't had a chance. There was tension in his brother. He could feel the stress coming off of him in waves and he figured it was over the mouse. His brother had yet to make a move on the woman and he could tell that she was getting tired of waiting for him to take the hint. Merle knew his brother wasn't good with women, but the mouse had made it pretty obvious that she was interested and yet Daryl still hadn't done anything about it.

Merle shook his head. What a waste of good pussy. Here it was at the end of the fucking world and his brother had a warm and willing woman that he was simply ignoring. Sighing, Merle took a step to his left, his mind momentarily drifting instead of remaining focused like he should have. As soon as he put his foot down, he realized his mistake.

The barbed wire he had inadvertently stepped into cut into his leg sharply causing him to curse out loud. This was one of those times that he wished like hell that he still had two hands. The blade was a good idea when it came to killing shit, but it was utterly useless in a time like this.

"Horse shit!" He cursed as he fumbled with the wire.

He glanced around to make sure that no one was watching him struggle like a fool before he continued to try and work his leg free from the tangled wire. It would have been a lot simpler with two hands considering the barbs kept getting hung up in his pants leg. Using his toe of his other boot, he stepped on the edge of the wire, using his boot for leverage where he couldn't use two hands.

"Motherfucking piece of shit!" He spat as he used his big fingers to work the barb free from its current snag in his pants.

He was quite fond of these pants. He was more of a cargo pants kind of guy because it gave him plenty of pocket space. He only had two pairs of cargos and the rest were jeans. He would be damned if he let a piece of barbed wire beat him.

"Impressive."

Merle whirled at the sound of a female voice and found himself face to face with the mouse. She held a bottle of water in one hand and look of amusement on her face. It made him angry that she could find it amusing to watch him struggle.

"Goddamn wire," He muttered as he turned back to his task.

"You're going to cut yourself even worse if you keep pulling on it like that," She commented.

Merle sucked his teeth, "Well hell's bells darlin', don't see much other way I can go 'bout gettin' tha shit off considerin' I ain't got but one hand," He held up his blade and waved it around with a sarcastic smile like she had forgotten about it.

She clucked her tongue, "Brought you some water. Thought you might be getting thirsty."

Merle raised a brow at that. He never saw her bring anything to anyone other than his brother. Glancing at her from the corner of his eye, he took in her appearance. She had on tight khaki pants with those damn black boots that she had acquired on a run somewhere and a red tank top. His eyes trailed back down to the boots. He hadn't paid them much attention before, but now that she was so close he was studying them. There was something about the way those damn pants hugged her legs and ass, slipping down into those tall black boots that had his curiosity piqued as to what other surprises she might be hiding. He hadn't ever thought of her as being curvy, but damn if she hadn't gone and surprised him. Just another reason he thought his brother was a Goddamned idiot for not sticking it to her.

He grunted, realizing that he had been quiet for a good few minutes now, "Kinda hard ta drink water with my damn leg wrapped in this shit. How's 'bout givin' a man a helpin' hand?"

She eyed him, her hip cocked out, the water bottle swinging from her fingers, "Maybe if you ask me nicely I might."

He snorted, "Darlin' that was fuckin' nice."

A small smile teased the corners of her lips and she shook her head, "You know, if you quit acting like such a bear then the others might warm up to you a little," She suggested.

He frowned, "What makes ya think I want any o' these folks warmin' up ta me?"

She shrugged, "Just a suggestion."

She thrust the water bottle at him and he grabbed it with his hand, standing up straight while she squatted beside of him. With one hand, she grabbed his leg and with the other she began working the barbs free from his pants. Her long and thin fingers wrapped around his pants leg felt foreign to him. It had been quite some time since he had felt a woman's touch, intimate or otherwise and he hadn't realized how much he missed it. For as much as an asshole that he was, he really enjoyed women. He loved figuring them out...what made them tick and what made them cry out his name in the heat of passion. He grinned to himself as he took a long swig of the water.

"Done," Carol replied as she stood up, tossing the wire off to the side.

Merle blinked, the smile falling from his face as he glanced down, "How tha hell did ya do that shit so fast?"

She smiled, "It's called patience. Might want to try it sometime," She quipped.

Merle shook his head at her, glancing down at his pants that were dotted in red from where the barbs had dug into his skin. He had barely felt it at the time, but now his leg was starting to throb slightly. She followed his gaze and before he could stop her, she was on her damn knees again, yanking his pants leg up. She made a face, looking up at him.

"We need to clean these before they get infected," She said.

Merle waved her off, "Dixon's don't get infected. It's fine."

She pressed her finger into his chest, startling him with the intensity of her stare. She had definitely changed from the quiet and withdrawn woman that she used to be back at the quarry. She had fire in her now and Merle found himself intrigued at this new side of her he hadn't discovered. He loved a woman with fire.

"It wasn't a question Merle Dixon. Let's go," She said firmly.

Merle grinned despite himself, "Yes ma'am," He replied softly as he fell into step behind her, trying to keep his eyes away from the sway of her ass and those damn boots.

...

Merle sat down on the cot in his cell and leaned against the wall with a sigh. It was even fucking hotter inside of the prison without any air flowing in anywhere. He watched from beneath hooded eyes as she bent over in the corner and searched through her meager medical supplies. Finally she stood up and walked over to him, kneeling before him again. He could definitely get used to a view like that.

She grabbed his pants leg again and began trying to roll it up, but it only went up so far before it wouldn't roll any further. She frowned.

"You're going to have to take your pants off," She said.

Merle opened his eyes lazily, letting them trail over her. He scoffed, "Ya wantin' ta get into my pants, all ya had ta do was ask darlin'."

She snorted, "Well you can either take them off or I can cut the pants so that I can get to all of the wounds."

"Ain't cuttin' my pants. They my favorite ones," He grumbled.

Sliding forward, he stood up and unbuttoned his pants before remembering he didn't have any boxers on. He had gone commando that morning on account of it being so hot. Sucking his teeth, he glanced at Carol, but she was busy sifting through her things to pay him any attention. Deciding to see how far he could shock her now that she wasn't the delicate thing she used to be, he continued on, unzipping his pants and letting them fall. Merle Dixon had nothing to be ashamed about and he hadn't a modest bone in his body.

He sat back down on the cot and waited for her to turn her attention back to him, curious as to what she would do. She picked up some rubbing alcohol and a cotton ball, turning her gaze back over to him. He watched her with a twinge of amusement crossing his features.

Her eyes flickered with surprise, but to his amazement she merely focused on his leg and pressed the alcohol onto the cuts. He hissed in a breath at the sting, his eyes locking with hers.

"Goddammit! Ya did that shit on purpose," He argued.

She cocked a brow at him, "Why I thought Merle Dixon could handle anything," She murmured.

He growled low in his throat, his cock twitching as she leaned forward to reach another cut. Her shirt hung low as she did so, causing him to be treated to an eyeful of milky white breasts. When her fingers skirted down his leg, he suppressed a groan, willing his rising cock to go back down. He saw her glance up at it and she smiled slightly, her gaze flickering to his.

"Why if I didn't know any better Merle Dixon, then I would think you were flirting with me," She gestured to his halfway erect cock.

He huffed, "Man'd have ta be dead ta not be affected by a beautiful woman rubbing their hands all over him," He said gruffly.

She paused, her face flaming a light shade of red and he smiled at the fact that he had finally managed to crack her tough girl exterior.

"Thank you," She muttered softly.

He stared at her curiously, "For what?"

"For calling me beautiful...Sometimes I don't feel very beautiful in this world," She gave him a smaller, sad, smile and he felt his heart twist slightly.

He wasn't fond of her looking so sad. Whenever she looked like that, it made him want to prod her into biting back at him or make her smile. Anything but the sad, defeated, woman that she used to be. Knowing that he was playing with fire and that at any time someone could come up the stairs to where his cell was, he leaned over and used his finger to lift her chin. Eyes as blue as the sky met his steel blue ones with equal intensity.

"Trust me mouse," His eyes slid over her skin hotly, "These otha women don't hold a candle to ya."

He thought that he felt her shiver, but he wasn't sure. He watched her swallow, his finger still holding her chin.

"That means a lot coming from you. I'm sure you've been with plenty of women," She commented softly.

"I been 'round tha block a time or two. Done lotsa stupid shit in my younger days. Took me a long time ta learn that beauty ain't jus' on tha outside," He replied.

She blinked in surprise, pulling back from him slightly, "Wow. That was surprisingly profound," She said.

Merle huffed, trying to think of a way to redeem himself. The last thing he wanted was for word to get around that he knew more than he let on lots of times. There was already a small stash of books underneath his mattress that no one knew about. Most people would be surprised to learn that Merle Dixon enjoyed reading. He had a preference for history, but he would deny it if anyone ever asked. He had a reputation to uphold.

"What's profound is havin' a woman on 'er knees between my legs an' her mouth empty," He said lewdly.

"Careful what you ask for Merle. I'm not the same woman I was back at the quarry," She cautioned.

He raised a brow, "Is that so? Do yer worst darlin'," He leaned back on the bunk, his back against the wall, his eyes challenging her.

He knew she wouldn't do it. She was merely baiting him, but he wanted to see her squirm, make her eat her words. If she thought she was getting one over on Merle Dixon, then she had another thing coming.

So when she wedged her body between his muscular thighs and eyed him cockily for several minutes, he felt his throat go dry. When her long fingers wrapped around the base of his cock, his eyes darkened, lust filling his body.

Her eyes accepted his challenge and without a word she dipped her head, her lips encircling his cock. He hissed, his fist curling by his side into the blanket. She bobbed her head up and down over his length until his cock stood up straight and proud, begging to be touched. He couldn't hold back a groan when she deep-throated him, her lips sliding almost to the base of him before she had to pull back. He was impressed...no one had ever managed to take that much of him at once. She licked up one side of his cock, swirling her tongue over the tip, before sliding it down the other side. She glanced over at him and smiled as she went down on him again, her lips providing incredible suction like he had never felt before.

He gently pushed on her, pulling his cock from her mouth. They stared at each other, neither of them quite knowing how it had come to this. He had never thought of her in a sexual way before and he was pretty sure that she hadn't thought of him either. This was his brother's woman...or _had _been his brother's woman.

"I won't tell if you won't," Carol whispered suddenly and Merle's eyes flickered in surprise.

She had read his mind and instead of speaking he nodded his head almost imperceptibly. Before he could think about all of the reasons why they shouldn't, he lunged forward and captured her lips with his. Their tongues tangled together slowly at first and then more forcibly as the tension between them grew. She mewled into his mouth and Merle pulled back to stare at her with lust glazed eyes.

He wrapped his hand underneath her ass and used his arm to lift her from the floor and onto his lap. She gasped in shock at his strength and he smiled wickedly at her. He had gotten used to using only one hand to do things and because of that, he had incredible strength in that hand. He settled her down onto his lap, his cock brushing against her pants. She closed her eyes, rocking gently against him. He hummed low in his throat and dipped his hand into her tank top, pushing down the cotton material to reveal her breast. Leaning forward, he latched onto her nipple with his mouth, sucking on the taut peak firmly. She wrapped her hands around his head, holding him against her breast as she dipped her head back in pleasure. He chuckled darkly at her excitement as he pulled away, the taste of her skin still lingering on his lips.

He gestured to her boots, "Take 'em off."

She nodded and slid from his lap, working the boots off a lot quicker than he would have thought possible. She shimmied out of her pants, seeming to understand that it wasn't safe to get fully naked in case someone should approach.

Merle swallowed at the flash of lacy pink panties that he got a glimpse of when she bent to place her knife inside of her boot. She turned back to him and he slid himself back further on the bed, licking his lips in anticipation.

Once she was settled back onto his lap, he pulled her to him and began sucking on the flesh of her neck, running his tongue across her skin. She shivered, rocking her mound into his cock. He yanked on her tank top, burying his face into the valley of her breasts and rubbing it around with a contented sigh. She leaned backwards, bracing herself with her hands on his thighs and he let his eyes slide over her heatedly.

He slid the pad of one finger over her panties and rubbed, tracing her slit up and down. She whimpered, her eyes pleading with his.

He chuckled, "Think it's time I practice some o' that patience ya were talkin' 'bout."

She growled at him, "Merle," She panted.

He hummed low in his throat at the sound of his name leaving her lips. Pulling aside the lace of her panties, he paused before touching her, a thought occurring to him.

"I ain't my brotha," He said gruffly.

She looked up in surprise, her eyes locking with his, "I know. I...I love your brother, but I need to be touched... I need you Merle."

He growled and slid his finger inside of her, both of them hissing at the contact. She was dripping, her juices coating his finger as he searched out her clit. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her as he crooked his finger, making her arch and whimper as she rolled her hips into his hand. He found the protruding nub of pleasure and rubbed the pad of his thumb across it, testing her reaction. She panted, arching into his touch.

"I need...I need to feel you," She panted.

Merle shook his head lazily, "Patience darlin'. I wanna see ya fall apart first. Wanna feel ya cum all over my fingers," He whispered.

She threw her head back, her breath coming in pants as he worked her. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the erotic way that she was posed. He began flicking her clit with his finger harder and she began to quake around him, her arms trembling as they struggled to hold her up.

"Mmm," Merle hummed, "That's right darlin'. Let go."

She gasped, moaning as her dam broke, his fingers becoming coated with wetness as she rode out her orgasm. Not missing a beat, he grabbed her by the arm, tugging on her. She came willingly, lifting herself up and over him before sliding down onto his hard cock. He grunted in pleasure as she took him in, sliding until she was seated fully onto him. He gave her a few moments to adjust before he began to arch his hips up into her.

She placed her hands on his shoulders before she leaned over and kissed him. He let her lead the kiss, letting his tongue flow lazily with hers. He reached up with his hand to cup her ass cheek before smacking it soundly. She gasped, her walls clenching around him in surprise. He chuckled at her startled expression. It seemed like the little mouse liked it a little hard.

"Ya like that?" His voice was rough and low.

She bit her lip, nodding at him, "Yes," She whispered.

"This ain't no playground darlin'. Ya runnin' with tha big dogs 'ere so show me what'cha got," He growled.

Carol's eyes sparked with fire and she lifted her hips, slamming them back down onto him. Merle growled with pleasure. She leaned forward and latched herself onto his neck, nipping at his skin before running her tongue over it. His eyes glittered with raw need, knowing that she had just marked him where anyone was liable to see. No one would know that it was her, but it was still fucking hot.

She grabbed his head with her hands and pulled it forward into her breasts. Merle caught her nipple with his teeth, tugging on it lightly before sucking it into his mouth. She groaned and raked her nails across his chest, underneath his tank top.

"Fuck," He hissed.

"_Yes_," She panted, "Make me feel good Merle!"

Slipping his hand between them, he swirled it over her clit as she rode him. He slid his tongue between her breasts, up to her neck, and to her ear where he sucked on her lobe.

"Ya feel so good Carol," He whispered, the first time he had _ever_ called her by her real name, "So fuckin' good," He repeated.

"Oh, God!" She cried out as she began to tighten and clench around him, her body shuddering as her orgasm racked her body. He wrapped one arm around her waist, holding her upright as he began to thrust in earnest. With her orgasm obtained, he thrust up into her roughly, seeking his own. She grabbed his hand and placed his finger into her mouth, sucking off her juices from where he had fingered her.

Groaning, he felt his balls tighten seconds before he began shooting his load into her, his eyes closing as he felt the tension leave his body. She collapsed against his chest, both of them sweaty and spent. They lay that way for several minutes until finally Carol found the energy to slide off of him and he groaned at the empty feeling.

He watched her grab a towel from his floor and wipe herself off with it before she resituated her panties and began to slide her pants back on. Wiping sweat from his brow, he forced himself to the edge of his bed and reached for his pants. She placed one of her hands over his and helped him slide them on. He stood and she zipped them up before buttoning them and glancing up at him.

"Thank you Merle. You were just what I needed," She whispered.

He wanted to say something sarcastic, but his brain wouldn't form the right words. Instead he nodded and cleared his throat.

"Glad ta help," He muttered.

She licked her lips and glanced at the floor, "You're going to need those cuts checked again in a couple of days just in case," She glanced back up at him, "Maybe I can check them for you...if you want?" She asked.

He sucked in a breath, reading into her deeper meaning. She wanted to come back to him, be with him again. He wouldn't have ever thought it. The whole time, he figured she was just using him as a replacement for his brother, but maybe that wasn't her intention. Maybe she really did look at him and see _him _and not Daryl.

He nodded slightly, his eyes full of sinful promise, "Look forward to it."

...


	2. Chapter 2

**God, I'm terrible! I know it! Work's been CHAOTIC to say the least and then this happened. Wasn't intending to go any further with this, but shit happens. LOL! Thank you 'Merle' for helping me more than you realize. I'm going to get back to work on Unseasoned Hearts today and I HOPE to have a chapter out for that later. Magic is coming, just bear with me. By the way, for those of you reading my other stories: After Wednesday, there will be no more updates until the following Monday. Work will be chaotic and I will be gone pretty much all day on those days. So needless to say, I will be tired as dirt. Just so you know, I won't have disappeared, but I shall return as soon as I possibly can. Until then, I will do my best to get out as many chapters as possible. Thanks for hanging with me! Enjoy! :)**

...

Carol sighed as she finished wringing out a pile of laundry by hand. She really missed having a washing machine. Wringing wet clothing by hand was not a fun job and it took a lot out of her.

Things at the prison had been pretty steady with everyone busy trying to get ready for the upcoming winter that would soon be upon them. The days were still warm, but the nights were a lot cooler indicating that winter wasn't too far away.

As she stacked the clothes into a metal tub, she let her mind drift to Merle Dixon. It wasn't often that she spent her free time thinking about him. Her days used to be spent thinking of Daryl, but he had become distant, withdrawn from everyone and she wasn't sure how to reach out to him.

She had thought that by having sex with Merle, that she would get it out of her system and would be able to move on, but that hadn't been what happened. Instead of satisfying that itch, she had only merely intensified it. It was getting to the point that she couldn't even look at him without envisioning his lips on her body or his eyes fixated on hers. She shivered now just thinking about it.

Carol wasn't sure if he was feeling anything similar to what she was feeling because she hadn't been around him much since that once. She had paused by his cell numerous times with the excuse to check on his leg, but he either hadn't been there or he had been passed out on his bunk sleeping. She decided to just leave it alone and chalk it up to a one time thing. It had been great and she wouldn't turn down the opportunity to do it again, but she wouldn't pursue it either.

Lifting the tub, she headed over to the makeshift clothesline that Daryl had strung up for them some time ago and began pinning up the clothes to dry. She just wouldn't think about Merle Dixon anymore and that was that.

Except she knew that she would.

...

Carol finished up her venison stew and helped Sasha clear the table. Maggie had kitchen clean-up tonight and Carol was relieved to be off duty for once.

"Carol," Maggie said.

Carol glanced up at Maggie as she stacked the dirty bowls neatly, "Hm?"

"Go. I got this. It's not your night," Maggie chuckled and gently guided Carol towards the door.

Just as Carol put her hand on the door, wondering how she was going to pass the time now that she actually had it, Maggie called to her again. She ran up to Carol with a bowl and handed it to her.

"Would you mind taking this to Merle? He's got watch and I totally forgot about him until just now," Maggie asked.

Carol sputtered, looking around for someone else to maybe pass the task onto. Her eyes landed on Sasha and the young woman shook her head at her as if she could read her mind.

"That man's a beast Carol. You're about the only one around here that can handle the Dixon's," Sasha said.

Carol sighed, blushing a little as she resigned herself to the job. Pushing the door open, she headed out into the night, shivering a little as the cool air nipped at her skin. She wished she would have thought to bring her sweater as the air chilled her bare arms. She steeled herself at the door to the tower, taking a moment to calm her nerves.

She didn't know why she was nervous anyway. It was just Merle. So what if they had had sex? It wasn't like he was going to reach out and bite her. She groaned as visions of him nipping her skin flashed through her mind. Maybe that was a bad analogy.

Giving herself a good shake, she opened the door and headed up the stairs to the top. He was leaning against the railing, his gaze intent on his prosthesis. She paused a moment to study him. He had shed the white wife beater that he seemed to favor for a black t-shirt that made him look absolutely sinful. Dark khaki pants covered those long muscular legs. It wasn't often that she saw him without the cuff wrapped around his arm so that drew her attention away from his clothing. He seemed almost relaxed as he drug the rag over the metal, polishing it until it almost gleamed in the light from the kerosene lantern.

"Gonna stand there all night?" He drawled, his eyes flashing up to meet hers in the dimly lit room.

Carol licked her dry lips, unsure of how to proceed. It felt weird bringing him dinner. Usually she was only up here bringing food for Daryl and not Merle. Not that she minded, but it was just different.

"I brought you some stew. It was pretty good," Carol said as she walked over to him with the bowl.

He paused in his ministrations and glanced at the bowl and then at her before gesturing to the table where the lantern sat.

"You bring it cause ya thought 'bout me or cause someone asked ya to?"

Carol bit her lip and sighed. She wasn't used to all of his bluntness. Merle always said whatever he was thinking and the consequences be damned.

"Maggie asked me to," She admitted.

He nodded, "S'prised she thought of me."

She wrapped her arms around herself to ward off some of the chill, walking past him and out to the rail to look out at the night. She wanted to talk about what had happened between them, figure out if it _was_ really a one time thing or not. She found herself secretly hoping that it wasn't. Like it or not, Merle had awakened something inside of her that had been lying dormant for years. _Passion_.

His mere presence next to her was calming in an odd sort of way. She felt safe, much like she always felt whenever she was around Daryl.

"You should eat before it gets much colder," She commented.

He stopped what he was doing and then he set the prosthesis and blade down on the table, grabbing up the bowl. Wordlessly, he balanced the bowl on his arm and began to eat. She watched him from the corner of her eye, admiring how he seemed to adapt so easily to only having one hand. She was surprised that he had actually listened to her and she just watched him eat for a few moments.

"Ya ain't gotta stay out here an' keep me comp'ny," He remarked between mouthfuls of food.

She shrugged, "To be quite honest, I feel rather useless at the moment. I don't have kitchen duty and I don't know what to do with my time."

His eyes slid to hers and then slowly traveled down her body before sliding back up again, making her feel the heat of his gaze full force. She rubbed the back of her neck, knowing that she was probably beet red.

"Can think o' a few ideas," He muttered heatedly.

"I'm always open to ideas," Carol whispered.

He smirked and brushed past her to set his bowl down onto the table. Seconds later, she could feel the heat of him at her back and she closed her eyes, unconsciously leaning back against him. His warm breath caressed her ear and she shivered as he pressed his full body against her.

"This what ya want? We gonna keep doin' this?" He asked softly.

Carol swallowed and ran her tongue over her dry lips. They probably shouldn't she knew, but then again, _why_ shouldn't they? They had no one else and comfort wasn't something readily available these days.

He waited, his body warm and willing behind her. She knew without a shadow of a doubt that he wouldn't touch her if she said no, but she didn't want to say no. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, she nodded. She felt his breath puff over her neck and then his erection pressing into her from behind.

"Ya know I'm like tha Black Plague 'round here right?" His voice teased near her ear.

Carol chuckled softly, reaching back with her hand to run it over his hip. She leaned her head back as his hand slid around to the front of her body, gliding over her breasts and down to the juncture of her thighs. She let out a deep sigh and he bent his head to press his lips to her neck. He suckled on her skin, running his tongue over her flesh so that she shivered.

"Take off yer clothes," He whispered as he nipped at her ear.

Carol felt almost drunk off of her arousal as she complied to his request. She removed all of her clothing and turned to find that he had shed himself of his shirt and boots. She studied his bare chest and the light sprinkling of hair that coated his muscles. He followed her gaze and when she met his eyes he winked, crossing the room to her.

Somehow he managed to back her against the old wooden desk that sat unused in one corner of the room. She boosted herself on top of it and he swooped in, capturing her mouth with his. Carol sunk herself into the kiss, her naked breasts grazing his chest and making her even hotter. He broke away from her and pushed her so that her back was leaning against the wall.

Eyeing her, he gripped one thigh and pushed it open, baring herself to him. With a slight smirk on his face, he got down onto his knees and stuck his face close to her pussy, breathing in deeply.

"Shit yes...shaved," He breathed seconds before plunging his tongue into her depths.

She gasped. It had been years since anyone had been down in that region so intimately. She was slightly self-conscious about it, never having been able to get herself off from just the stimulation. She hated the feel of hair down there so she was careful to keep the area shaved as often as possible. It made her feel cleaner for some reason.

His tongue slid up and down her length, lapping at her juices as they pooled into his mouth. He flicked his tongue over her clit, eliciting a hiss and arch of the hips from her. Without breaking stride, he grabbed her hand and brought it down to her slit, indicating what he wanted. She complied, spreading herself open with her fingers for him. He growled low in his throat, sucking the nub into his mouth. Carol whimpered, the sensations so strong that she was torn between wanting to get away and wanting to press him into her harder. He used his free hand to slide it into her, turning it just so that it made her breath catch.

Her body felt like it was on fire, but she didn't have high hopes for an orgasm this way. It never happened because there just wasn't enough stimulation to set her off.

Merle continued to stroke her with his finger, almost as if he knew that she needed the extra attention. For a man so harsh as he could be sometimes, he was a really attentive lover. Before she could guess his intentions, his tongue slid over her delicate hole and she gasped. He fluttered it across her skin rapidly and Carol felt herself jump from the sensations. It was too much and her body broke, her walls clenching repeatedly around him as she rode her orgasm out. Merle held on until her tremors began to subside and then he pulled away, wiping at his mouth with his arm.

His eyes burned into hers as his hand drifted to his belt. She almost moved to help him, but he had the buckle undone before she could so much as lift a hand to offer. She kept still, telling herself that he did it everyday and obviously wouldn't need her help.

He reached inside of his pants and tugged his cock out, the thick veins outlining the impressive length seeming to throb with his need. Carol slid forward on the desk until her ass balanced precariously on the edge and she reached out, grabbing his cock and tugging him towards her. He shot her a cocky smile as he let her lead him.

Without skipping a beat, he pushed himself inside of her and Carol moaned in pleasure at the feeling of being filled so deeply. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he began to slowly thrust in and out of her. He took his time unlike the first time and Carol felt the familiar heat begin to fill her once again. She buried her head into the crook of his neck, breathing in his scent as he worked her. His hand trailed up her back and cupped her neck, his eyes locking with hers. She inhaled sharply at his intense gaze. This was way more intimate than the first time, but she refused to look away.

"Anybody ever tell ya yer fuckin' beautiful mouse?" He muttered softly between thrusts.

Carol shook her head, her lips parting into an 'O' as he hit a particularly good spot. She tightened her arms around his neck, the muscles in his shoulders and arms flexing against her. She traced lazy patterns over the skin of his neck and he groaned, tightening his thrusts.

"Please make me cum Merle," She panted against the curve of his neck.

"Fuck yeah," He grunted.

He linked his arms underneath her thighs and brought her body closer to the edge, changing the angle and depth of his thrusts. Carol let out a low moan, her fingers kneading his shoulders. They were both sweating despite the coolness of the night and Merle pulled back slightly to capture her lips. Despite the harshness of his thrusts, his kiss was slow and lazy, his tongue sweeping inside of her mouth. He captured her bottom lip and sucked it into his mouth, his eyes throwing out sparks of heat.

She burst around him, her orgasm sneaking up on her as she trembled in his arms. He hummed in approval as she tightened and convulsed around his cock. He could feel himself drawing up and he slowed slightly, pumping long and deep until he finally grunted, shooting his load inside of her.

"Fuck," He muttered as his eyes closed and he threw his head back.

Carol leaned forward and placed a kiss to the pulse at his neck. He slowly lowered his head, his eyes fluttering open in a passionate haze. His lips swept across her forehead and she smiled at the affectionate gesture. He lowered her legs until she planted her feet onto the floor and then he backed slowly away from her, wiping at the sweat on his forehead and arms.

"Goddamn," He muttered as he stared at her.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

She was alarmed that she might have done something or said something wrong.

He shook his head, "Jus' figured that first time was a fluke, somethin' we was both jus' needin'. Fuck that. Shit was even better tha second time," He replied.

Carol paused and then a small smile broke across her features. She began to grab her clothing and get dressed as the heat from the moment wore off and the cool air began to wash over her once again. By the time she was done getting dressed, he had pulled his shirt back on and tucked himself back inside of his pants. She walked over to him and placed her hand upon his chest, directly over his beating heart.

"I would be inclined to agree with you," She whispered.

His eyes flickered, but he remained expressionless. His hand came up to cup her cheek, his thumb tracing her jaw lightly.

"We gonna do this, then it's jus' gonna be us, no one else. I don't do leftovers," He explained, "Ya up for it?"

Carol shivered just thinking about it. She found herself nodding, nuzzling her cheek into his hand.

"Why Merle Dixon, I thought you'd never ask."

...


	3. Chapter 3

**Well, after giving this much thought and consideration, I have decided to carry it a little bit further. It won't be long by any means, but I'll see where it takes me. It may not get updated as often as the others, but I'll get to it when I can. If it wasn't for all of the support and encouragement to keep going, this very well would have remained a oneshot. However, so many of you requested I keep going with it, so I'm giving it a shot. I have no real clear purpose in mind for it yet so bear with me. **

**Since we're expanding now, I'm placing this fic during season 4, BUT there is no Governor and there never was. Sasha, Tyreese, and the others are there at the prison, but Abraham's group is not, nor are the people from Woodbury. Andrea is still gone however and of course we have Merle alive in this. I didn't feel like dealing with all of the Governor drama so I just left it out. I'm still feeling this one out so I hope I've explained any questions anyone might have. **

**BIG thanks to HaloHunter89 for giving me the idea for this chapter as well as BLuIcy for throwing in her ideas as well when I wasn't sure where to take it. Thanks ladies ;)**

**Thank you to all of you for your kind words and encouragement. I hope it lives up to expectations! **

...

"What's been goin' on with ya lately lil' brotha? Ya been distant."

Merle glanced over at Daryl as they walked through the woods, trying to get far enough away from the prison so that they might be able to find more animals to hunt. His brother hadn't seemed like himself lately, having been even more quiet than usual. Merle had even checked in with Carol, but she hadn't talked to him much either. Merle knew that something was wrong, but he didn't think it had anything to do with him and Carol. This had been going on before that.

Daryl sighed, pausing next to a tree and kneeling to look at some tracks in the dirt, "Ain't nothin' really goin' on. Jus' had a lot on my mind I guess. Worried 'bout tha upcomin' winter an' losin' people," He stared around the woods, "Worried 'bout other possible threats we don't know 'bout."

Merle nodded. He could definitely see how that might change a person's mood. He hadn't actually thought about it himself and it wasn't because he didn't care, it was more that he didn't dwell on it. There wasn't much they could do to change it other than what they were already doing.

Ever since he had spent those two times with Carol, Merle had been more relaxed, his edge tempered down slightly. It wasn't gone by any means, but some of the surliness had slowed considerably. He loved to pleasure a woman and Carol also gave him lots of pleasure in return. The only thing that worried him about the whole situation was his brother. Normally if Merle had something to say then he would just say it, but this was different. This was Carol and Merle wasn't clear on how to broach that subject.

"Anyway, enough 'bout that. Let's get on with it so we can head back an' clean it for Carol ta cook later," Daryl remarked.

Merle opened his mouth, sensing a perfect time to maybe bring up the subject of Carol, but Daryl quickly silenced him and pointed to a young doe in the distance. Merle shut his mouth and Daryl quickly stepped behind a tree, only his crossbow showing, the deer directly in his sights. He barely paid Daryl any attention as the arrow whizzed through the air and the doe went down. Daryl smiled and gestured to Merle with a wave of his hand.

"Get off yer ass an' help me carry 'er. Gonna be some good eatin' right there!" Daryl cried.

Merle sighed and strolled over to give his brother a hand, wondering when he was going to be able to bring it up.

...

Carol hummed to herself as she dipped the bucket into the stream, setting it to the side to take back to the prison. They used a small stream right near the prison for water and she had seen that they were running low so she had taken it upon herself to come and get some. There weren't many walkers about and Carl was waiting for her back inside of the fence to open the gate when she returned.

She wasn't in a hurry to go straight back so she took a few minutes to dip some of the water from the stream and splash it over her face and neck, reveling in the refreshed feeling it gave her. Hearing the snap of a twig behind her, Carol grasped her knife that was lying on the ground next to her boot and swung around, intending to take down the walker before it could get to her.

Strong fingers clasped her wrist and she found herself staring into the eyes of Merle instead of a walker, his expression impassive. She sighed, the tension leaving her body as she stared at him.

"I didn't know you two made it back already," She commented.

When he didn't respond, she peered at him more closely, "Merle?"

He sucked his teeth, "What in tha hell are ya doin' out here by yerself?" He asked gruffly.

She blinked, confused by his anger, "I'm getting water," She replied simply.

"Ain't fuckin' safe! Somethin' could happen to ya. Ya always need a backup. Don't ever forget that," He said harshly.

Carol started to get mad at him, but then she tilted her head at him slightly. She realized that he probably wasn't intending to be angry with her, but he was probably worried for her safety and didn't know how to show it.

She nodded and ran her hand down his shirt, patting his chest, "I promise I'll bring someone with me next time," She soothed.

His eyes searched hers and then he nodded, looking over her head and doing a quick sweep of the area. Stepping away from her, he kneeled down and scooped up a handful of the water, splashing his face as she had done.

"How was the hunt?" Carol asked softly.

Merle lifted his shirt and dried his face off with it, "Ya mean did I tell him?" He asked.

Carol felt her face grow red and then she nodded, "Did you?"

Merle shook his head, "No," He sighed, "Fuckin' tried though, but it jus' wouldn't come out. Feel like he's gonna hate me for it," He admitted.

Her heart went out to him and she stepped into him without thinking, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her head against him. He stiffened for a moment and then his arm wrapped around her, pulling her tightly to him.

"Maybe we should tell him together," She suggested.

"No. Need ta tell him myself jus' in case things get outta hand...brotha ta brotha," He murmured.

"If you think that's best, then I'll keep quiet and let you tell him," She replied.

He blinked as if surprised, grunting his response to her in true Dixon form. Carol hummed low in her throat, her hands gliding down his back and underneath his shirt to touch his bare skin. He chuckled, the sound vibrating through his chest.

"Ya tryin' ta seduce me out in tha woods?" He looked down at her with a raised brow.

"Maybe," She whispered, "We _are_ out here alone."

He lifted her chin with his finger, his eyes sweeping over hers as his breath blew across her face softly.

"Yer gonna be tha death o' me darlin'," He whispered just before he claimed her lips.

Carol sunk into the comfort of the kiss, gripping onto his arms tightly. She felt slightly dizzy from the passion or at least that's what she thought it was from until the world around her began to spin and she found herself tightening her grip on him. Merle pulled back and stared down at her, his features twisted in concern. She didn't quite understand what was happening to her. She had had eaten earlier...it hadn't been much, but she it had been something at least.

"Merle?" She whispered, "I feel kind of...dizzy," She replied just as her world went black.

Merle cursed as she went limp in his arms, doing his best to hoist her up with one hand. He managed to shift her around enough so that he could maneuver her over his shoulder.

"Christ," He muttered as he scanned the area again.

He didn't know why she had passed out or what was going on, but he intended to find out.

...

"Carl!" Merle roared as he approached the fence where the boy was drawing something in the dirt, "Open tha fence!"

Carl turned and scrambled for the gate keys, opening the fence in record time for Merle. Merle strode inside with Carol hanging limply over his shoulder, Carl's gaze wide and focused on him. Merle paid him no mind as he began to walk up the path, intent on finding the old farmer to take a look at her.

"Oh my God!" Maggie gasped as Merle walked through the courtyard, "Is she?"

"No," Merle snapped, his eyes flashing in irritation, "Where's yer Pa?"

Maggie pointed to the prison and hurried over to the door to hold it open for him, "He's inside, talkin' to Rick."

Merle grunted a thank you and slipped through the door, the weight of Carol's limp frame hanging heavily on his mind. He was surprised by his intense urge to protect her. The feelings bothered him slightly and only served to make him even more irritable as his eyes searched for the old man. He rounded the corner into the cell block and spotted Hershel and Rick standing by one of the cells speaking in low voices.

"Need a hand 'ere," Merle called, startling them both, "Where ya want me ta put 'er, Doc?" He asked Hershel.

Hershel moved quickly, his eyes accessing the situation, "Take her to her cell and lie her down. I'll grab my bag and meet you there in just a moment Merle."

Merle nodded, his boots already striding across the concrete floors to her cell before Hershel could even finish speaking. He could feel Rick at his back and his irritation increased at the thought of having to deal with the man. Their relationship, although somewhat improved, was still rocky at best. They had an understand of sorts and they simply tried to stay out of each others way.

Merle wrapped his arm around Carol's back, mindful of keeping the blade out of the way and then began to ease her down towards the bed. Rick ducked around to the other side and caught her head, helping Merle lower her. Once she was lying down, Merle listened the sounds of the old man's crutches clicking across the floor.

"What happened?" Rick asked, his eyes on Carol, likely searching for injuries of some sort.

Merle shrugged, "Dunno. One minute she was..." He faltered, almost saying that she was kissing him, but caught himself, "talkin' an' tha next she was passing out," He finished.

Rick nodded thoughtfully as Hershel entered the cell, situating himself by Carol's side on the bed. He placed a hand across her forehead and then began listening to her heart.

"She bit?" Hershel asked, his voice low.

"Nah. Jus' passed out on me," Merle replied.

Merle watched as the farmer placed his hands on several places on Carol's body and frowning.

"What was she doing before she passed out?" Hershel asked.

Merle sighed in frustration at the fact that he was having to answer this question again, "Weren't doin' nothin' really, jus' talkin'. Found 'er outside tha gates by 'erself tryin' ta get more water. Shoulda known better than ta let 'er go out by 'erself," He said gruffly.

Hershel nodded, "Her blood sugar might be low. Do you know if she's been eating?"

Merle huffed, "Ain't 'er keeper Doc. How tha hell would I know?"

"Fair enough," Hershel responded with a long glance at Merle that made Merle uneasy.

Rick was silently observing from his place against the wall of the cell and Merle was feeling cramped even though it was only the four of them. There were footsteps echoing through the cellblock and Merle recognized them as belonging to his brother. Moments later, Daryl poked his head inside of the cell, his eyes searching the cell.

"What's goin' on? Somebody told me Carol was sick?" Daryl asked as he entered the tiny room.

"Doc's checkin' 'er now," Merle said to his brother.

Hershel frowned as he checked over the rest of Carol. Scratching his head, he turned on the bed to face them.

"There is the possibility she might be pregnant," Hershel commented with a glance in Daryl's direction.

Merle's eyes widened, his gut clenching as he thought back to the two times they had already had sex without protection. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out and he closed it, looking around at everyone else who were all focused on his brother.

"What'cha lookin' at me for?" Daryl sputtered, his face red and eyes darting around nervously.

"Holy fuckin' shit," Merle muttered softly, no one sparing him any thought over the matter.

"Have you and Carol..." Rick let the rest of his question trail off, his eyes darting to Carol and then back to Daryl as his implication slammed into them.

"I ain't touched 'er!" Daryl hissed, backing towards the door like a cornered animal.

"I-" Merle began, but Rick began talking over him, pissing him off.

"We all know she's closest to you Daryl. Are you sure that there's nothing going on between the two of you?" Rick asked.

Daryl shot them all a glare and then disappeared from the room, his crossbow nearly catching on the doorway in his haste. Merle looked back over at Carol, almost feeling like _he_ was going to pass out now. Why hadn't he thought of this shit before now? It wasn't like this was his first time. He should have known better, but somehow his concentration had slipped. He could feel the tension inside of him radiating, the small cell seeming that much smaller to him.

Merle swallowed roughly, "When will ya know somethin' Doc?" He asked.

"She'll wake from this soon. I'll try to get her to eat something and then I'm sure I have a pregnancy test around here somewhere just to make sure," Hershel said.

Merle nodded, his chest tight, forearms rigid, "Better go check on my brotha," He muttered as he walked out of the cell, his thoughts scattered all over the place.

For the first time in his life, Merle Dixon was scared.

...


End file.
